Dairy farmers from Quebec brought two cows and their vocal opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade bloc to the broadcast debate in Montreal of leaders of Canada’s five major political parties, said CBC News. The farmers carried signs asking for the government to support local agriculture. Quebec is home to half of Canada’s dairy farms so changes in the nation’s supply-management system could affect the province. The United States, Australia and New Zealand have pressed for access to the Canadian dairy market. The dairy cooperative Agropur says abolition of the supply-management system would threaten 4,500-6,000 dairy farms across the country. “Producers have good reason to be suspicious,” said Bruno Letendre, head of Quebec milk producers.
Going into the debate, the ruling Conservative Party led national polling with 31.3 percent, followed by Liberals at 30.3 percent and the New Democrats at 28.9 percent, according to the CBC Poll Tracker. “This marks the high-water mark for the Tories so far in this campaign and the lowest average score for the NDP since the end of May,” said CBC News. The NDP lead in Quebec is shrinking and cost the party its lead nationally. The national election is Oct. 19. Conservatives have held power since 2008.